RULING BY THE HON MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER ON A POINT OF ORDER RAISED ON FRIDAY, 15TH SEPTEMBER, 2023, BY MR M FUBE, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR CHILUBI CONSTITUENCY AGAINST MR M SIMUSHI, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR SIKONGO CONSTITUENCY DEBATING A FELLOW MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT CONTRARY TO THE RULES OF DEBATE
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Hon Members, the House will recall that on Friday, 15th September, 2023, when the House was considering the Motion of Thanks - His Excellency the President’s Address on the Official Opening of the Third Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly and Mr M Simushi, Member of Parliament for Sikongo Constituency was on the Floor, Mr M Fube, Member of Parliament for Chilubi Constituency, raised a Point of Order. 

In his Point of Order, Mr M Fube, MP, cited Standing Order 65 of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2021, which requires a Member debating to confine his or her debate to the subject under discussion. Mr M Fube, MP, inquired whether Mr M Simushi, MP, was in order to debate a fellow Member of Parliament contrary to the rules of debate.

In his immediate response, the Hon Mr Second Deputy Speaker reserved his ruling to enable him study the matter. I have since studied the matter, and will now render my ruling. 
The Point of Order raises the issue of a Member’s duty to ensure that when debating, the Member confines his or her debate to the subject matter under discussion. 

Hon Members, in studying this matter, I had recourse to the relevant verbatim record of proceedings for Friday, 15th September, 2023, in order to ascertain whether Mr M Simushi, MP, made the statement as alleged. The verbatim record confirms that while debating Mr M Simushi, MP, made reference to Members on the left and stated that they need to accept that they had lost elections and were never going to be in power again. 

Hon Members, it is clear, from the verbatim record, that Mr M Simushi, MP, indeed included his fellow Members of Parliament in his debate, contrary to the rules of debate. The subject under discussion at the time, was His Excellency the President’s Address on the Official Opening of the Third Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly.

Hon Members, as you are aware, Standing Order 65 (1) (a) requires a member debating to confine his or her debate to the subject under discussion. Further, in line with parliamentary practice and procedure, and indeed the traditions of this House, it is customary for members to refrain from including other members in their debate.

In view of this, Mr M Simushi, MP, breached Standing Order 65 (1) (a) and was, therefore, out of order.